The People Management Committee of The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized ‘Next Gen Employability: Industry-Academia Networking Meet’ at Williamson Magor Hall, The Chamber Premises, Kolkata on 15th December 2017. The objective of the Meet was to address the employability scenario of Eastern India and to understand and brainstorm today’s requirements of the industries through an interface between representatives of Industry and those from Educational Institutes imparting Engineering and Management studies. The initiative brought the Industry and Academia representatives together under one roof and provided a platform where the Academia understood the challenges and measures needed to proceed for bridging the gap and make fresh graduates more industry ready. The Conclave was attended by Directors, Faculty Members and Administrative Officers of Engineering and Management Institutes and eminent HR Leaders involved in the recruitment process.

Speakers at this event were:

• Mr Somesh Dasgupta, Chairperson – The People Management Committee, The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry and President (Corporate Affairs & Admin), India Power Corporation Limited
• Mr Rahul Bose, Co-Chairperson – The People Management Committee, The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Global Manager Learning & Knowledge, IBM Global Business Services
• Mr R.N Lahiri, Director, Techno India Batanagar (Formerly Batanagar Institute of Engineering, Management and Science)
• Mr Ankur Chaturvedi, General Manager, Emami Ltd.
• Ms. Shikha Banerjee, General Manager – HR, Shapoorji Pallonji And Company Pvt. Ltd.
• Mr Sugata Halder, Country Head – HR, Century Plyboards (India) Ltd.
• Mr. Sidharth Das, Vice President – HR, Kolkata & Rest of Bengal, Vodafone
• Ms Shivani Chaturvedi, Chief People Officer, Mjunction Services Ltd

Eminent HR Heads were of the opinion that the present industrial society has opened up a multiplicity of occupations and professions and each one of them is associated with scientific knowledge and skills. It is a society of complex division of labour and requires people with specialized knowledge. Modern education fulfills the needs of industrial economy. A vast range of subjects like medicine, health, engineering, management and law have become hot areas of professionalization and specialization today. Hence according to them education was the single most important instrument for social and economic transformation.A well educated population, adequately equipped with knowledge and skill was not only essential to support economic growth, but it was also a precondition for growth to be inclusive since it is the educated and skilled person who could stand to benefit most from the employment opportunities which growth will provide.

The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry will continue arranging Networking Meets between Industry and Academia across India.